Zwischen Definition und Empirie
Theoretische Probleme der Fragebogenkonstruktion
In: Vierteljahrsschrift für wissenschaftliche PädagogikSearch for other papers by Matthias Borgstede in
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Abstract
Between Definition and Empirical Research. Theoretical Problems of Questionnaire Design
Within the field of quantitative educational science, theoretical terms are often defined operationally by scales or questionnaires, which have been constructed using the formal background of Classical Test Theory. This article takes a critical perspective on the current modus operandi of scale construction.
It is argued that classical quality criteria (reliability, validity, and objectivity) are usually represented by empirical correlations between scales or items of a scale. Apart from some theoretical inconsistencies, using these criteria (e.g. Chronbach’s Alpha) to optimize a scale results in a set of items with high intercorrelations, regardless of their content or meaning.
Because high inter-item correlations are neither necessary nor sufficient for an adequate operational definition, the utility of the classical approach to scale construction is questioned on a fundamental level. It is further argued that operational definitions do not pose a statistical problem in the first place, but a theoretical problem. Hence, we do not need a method to optimize scales for high inter-item-correlations, but rather a way to translate theoretical terms (which may be inherently vague) to empirically observable phenomena. This is accomplished by the semantic approach to psychological tests by Buntins, Buntins and Eggert (2016), which provides a formal alternative to classical quality criteria.
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| All Time | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 811 | 172 | 9 |
| Full Text Views | 199 | 44 | 4 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 225 | 71 | 2 |
Zwischen Definition und Empirie
Theoretische Probleme der Fragebogenkonstruktion
In: Vierteljahrsschrift für wissenschaftliche PädagogikSearch for other papers by Matthias Borgstede in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
Between Definition and Empirical Research. Theoretical Problems of Questionnaire Design
Within the field of quantitative educational science, theoretical terms are often defined operationally by scales or questionnaires, which have been constructed using the formal background of Classical Test Theory. This article takes a critical perspective on the current modus operandi of scale construction.
It is argued that classical quality criteria (reliability, validity, and objectivity) are usually represented by empirical correlations between scales or items of a scale. Apart from some theoretical inconsistencies, using these criteria (e.g. Chronbach’s Alpha) to optimize a scale results in a set of items with high intercorrelations, regardless of their content or meaning.
Because high inter-item correlations are neither necessary nor sufficient for an adequate operational definition, the utility of the classical approach to scale construction is questioned on a fundamental level. It is further argued that operational definitions do not pose a statistical problem in the first place, but a theoretical problem. Hence, we do not need a method to optimize scales for high inter-item-correlations, but rather a way to translate theoretical terms (which may be inherently vague) to empirically observable phenomena. This is accomplished by the semantic approach to psychological tests by Buntins, Buntins and Eggert (2016), which provides a formal alternative to classical quality criteria.
| All Time | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 811 | 172 | 9 |
| Full Text Views | 199 | 44 | 4 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 225 | 71 | 2 |